Apparatus for the control of railway-switches



C. R. BEALL. APPARATUS FOR THE CONTROL OF RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1. 1920.

1,392,737. Patented 001;. 4, 1921.

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C. R. BEALL.

APPARATUS FOR THE CONTROL or RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1920. 1,392,737.

Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR. C, E. fl-M,

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CHARLES R. BEALL, 0F SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION S'WITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SVIISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A COREORATION OF IEENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE CONTROL OF RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

Continuation of application Serial No. 320,691, filed August 29, 1919. This application filed November 1,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES R. BEALL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Swissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Control of Railway-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for the control of railway switches, and has for an point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the-accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and involving a fiuid'pressure device for moving a switch. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but involving an electrical device for moving the switch and also embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in the two views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference character A designates a railway switch which is operated by a fluid pressure motor device B and which device is controlled by a manually operable lever L. This lever is usually one of a plurality of similar levers in an interlocking machine.

The motor device B comprises a cylinder 2 containing a piston 3 which is operatively connected with a motion plate 4;. Thisplate 1 contains a cam slot 5 coacting with a roller 6 which is operatively connected with the movable rails of the switch A. It will be seen, therefore, that reciprocation of the piston 3 will cause movements of'the switch A from normal to reverse positions'and vice versa.

Qperatiwely connected with the motion plate 41 are two movable contact members 15 Serial No. 420,876.

fluid pressure or with atmosphere, according as the movable member 7 of this valve device is depressed or elevated. The member 7 is biased to the elevated position by suitable means which, as here shown, is a spring 8, the spring being assisted by the pressure of the fluid on the under side of the member. When in this position the valve member 7 connects a pipe 9, leading from the right hand end of the cylinder, with atmosphere through a port 10. This valve member 7' is controlled by a solenoid and plunger 11?, however, in such manner that when the solenoid is energized the valve member is depressed in opposition to the force exerted by the spring 8 and the fluid pressure. When in the depressed position, the valve member disconnects pipe 9 from the port 10 and connects this pipe with a pipe 12 leading directly to the source of fluid pressure.

The left hand end of cylinder 3 is connected with the source of fluid pressure or with atmosphere by means ofa valve device V controlled by a solenoid and plunger 11*, which parts are similar to the corresponding parts V andll The lever L is arranged to rock between two extreme positions, known as normal and reverse positions, which positions correspond to the normal and reverse positions of the switch A. Operatively connected with the lever L is a contact member 13 which engages with a fixed contact M from the normal position of the lever to an intermediate position known as the normal indicating position, and with a fixed contact 14* from the reverse position to an intermediate position known as the reverse indicating position. The solenoids 11. and 11 of the motor device B arecontrolled by this lever-operated contactand by. contacts 15 and 16 actuatedby the motion plate the form here shown, two segments S and S rigidly attached to the lever. The segment S is provided with a dog 17 which.

coacts with a latch 18 in such manner as to lock the lever in the normal indicating position when the lever is moving from reverse to normal positions. The latch 18 is controlled by an electromagnet M adapted when energizedto elevate the latch and so to permit the lever to complete its movement to the normal position. The segment S is provided with a dog 19, which coacts with a latch 20 to lock the lever in the reverse indicating position when moving from normal to reverse positions, and this latch 20 is similarly provided with an electromagnet M arranged when energized to elevate the latch and so to release the lever. V The indication magnets M and M are controlled by a polarized indication relay G, which in turn, is controlled by a polechanger P operated by the motion plate 4. These indication magnets are also controlled by a circuit controller D operatively connected with the lever L. This circuit controller comprises an arm which is at tached to the leverand is arranged to bridge two contacts 58 and 58 when the lever is in thenormal indicating position but not in normal position, and to bridge two contacts 59 and 59 when the lever is in reverse indicating position but not in reverse position. The circuits for the control of relay C and of the indication magnets M and M will be explained hereinafter.-

The operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is as follows:

s shown in this view, the switch A and the lever L are in normal positions, and all other parts of the apparatus are in the corresponding positions. Magnets 11 and 11*, M and M, are all deenergized, but indication relay C is energized in normal direction. When it is desired to move the switch A to the reverse position, lever L is swung in clockwise di rection by means of the handle'20 until it is stopped by the engagement of dog 19 with latch 20, the lever then being in the reverse indicating position. Contact 1314 is then closed, so that the reverse magnet 11 is energized through the following. circuit: from battery E, through wire 21, contact 1314 wire 22, contact 15-15 wire 23, winding of electromagnet 11 and wires 24, 25, 26 and 27 to battery E. Magnet 11 then operates to depress the movable member 7 of the valve device V thereby disconnecting the left-hand end of cylinder 2 from atmosphere and connecting this end of the cylinder with the source of fluid pressure. Piston 3 is then shifted to the right, thereby moving motion plate 4 to the right and so moving switch A to the reverse position. When this "position is reached, the circuit for magnet 11 is opened at contact 1515, sothat member 7 of the valve device V returns to its elevated position, wherein the left-hand end of cylinder 2 is disconnected from the source of fluid pressure and is again connected with'atmosphere.

This movement of the motionplate 4 reverses the position of pole-changer P, so that the indication relay C becomes energized in the reverse direction, the circuit for this relay then being from battery E, through wire 28, contact 29, wire 30, contact 31, wire 32, pole-changer P, wire 34, winding of relay C, wire 33, pole-changer P, wire 35, contact 36, wire 37, contact 38 and wires 26 and 27 to battery E. The consequent reversal of relay 0 causes contact 39'to swing to the right, whereupon the reverse indication magnet M becomes energized through the following circuit: from battery E, through wires 28 and 40, neutral contact 41 of relay 0, wire 42, polar contact 39 of relay C, wire 43, contact 59- 6059"-, wire 44, winding of magnet M and wires 45, 46 and 27 to battery E. The consequent energizationof magnet M causes latch 20 to be elevated out of the path of dog 19, so that the movement of lever L to the reverse position can then be completed. During this final movement of the lever, contact 59-6(l59 of circuitcontroller D opens, thereby deinergizing magnet M In order to move the switch A ifrom the reverse to the normal position, lever L is returned to its normal indicating position, in'which position it is stopped by the engagement of dog 17 onsegment S with latch 18. Lever operated contact 13--14 is then closed, so that the reverse operating magnet ll is energized through this contaot and through contact 16--16- operated by the motion plate 4. Magnet 11 then reverses the valve device V so that the right hand end of cylinder 2 is disconnected from atmosphere and is connected wlth the source ot fluid pressure. Piston 3 is then ClI'lVGIl to the left, thereby restoring switch A to its the lever L may be moved to the full normal position. During this final movement of the lever, the right hand contact of circuit controller D opens, thereby deenergizing magnet M The parts of the apparatus are then in the positions in which they are shown in the drawing.

It will be noted that the circuit for indication relay C includes contacts 29 and 38 operated by magnet 11 and contacts 31 and 36 operated by magnet 11. Each contact is closed only when the movable member of the corresponding magnet is in the elevated position, that is, when the member 7 of the corresponding valve device is elevated. The function of these contacts is as follows:

If these contacts were not provided, improper operation of the switch might occur under the following conditions. Assume that, with the parts in the positions shown in the drawing, the lever L is thrown to the reverse indicating position, so that-magnet 11 becomes energized, but that owing to temporary failure of the source of fluid pressure the switch remains in the normal position. Then assume that, contacts 29 and 38 not being provided, the operator returns the lever to normal position, but that the plunger of magnet 11 and the valve member 7 to which it is connected stick in the depressed position. The operator may then allow atrain to approach the switch A. Assume, furthermore, that while such train is approaching the switch, the source of fluid pressure is restored. The switch will then start toward the reverse position, because valve device V is reversed, but as soon as the switch moves .far enough to close contact 16-16 the normal operating magnet 11 will become energized and so will apply fluid pressure to the right-hand end of cylinder 3. Under these conditions the fluid pressure in the two ends of the cylinder would balance, but it is probable that the. switch would be misplaced before such balance is reached. The provision of the contacts operated by magnets 11 and 11 renders it impossible to return the lever L to the normal position, after it has been moved to the reverse indicating position, unless both valve members 7 are in the elevated position, and so in the example just cited the lever L could be returned only to normal indicating position. Inasmuch as all signals governing traflic over the switch A are locked in the stop position unless the lever is in either full normal or full reverse position, it will be clear that in the example cited, the operator would be unable to permit a train to pass over switch A.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the apparatus shown therein is the same as that shown in Fig. 1, except that I have substituted an electric motor device B for the fluid pressure motor device B shown in ig. 1,- Thi electric motor device B comprises an arma ture 47, and a field member 48 having two field windings 4:9 and 4-9 This device is so arranged that when current is supplied to the armature and to winding 49*, the motion plate 4 is operated in such direction as to move the switch A from reverse to normal position, and that when current is supplied to the armature and to field winding 49 the motion plate 4: is moved in the opposite direction.

The motor device B is controlled bytwo relays 5O and 50 in such manner that the armature and the field winding 49 are energized when relay 5O is closed, and that the armature and the field winding 49* are energized when the relay 50 is closed. For example, when relay F0 is closed, the motor circuit is from battery 51, through wires 52 and 53, relay contact 54, wire 55, normal field winding 49, wire 56, armature 17, and wire 57 to battery 51. The motor circuit which is closed when relay 5O is closed, will be obvious from the drawing. Relays 5O and 50 are controlled by the lever-operated contacts and by the motion plate operated contacts in the same manner as the operating magnets 11 and 11 in Fig. 1. The operation of the switch controlling apparatus shown in Fi 2 will be obvious, therefore, from the explanation of the corresponding apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 2 the circuit for the indication relay C is the same as the circuit for this relay shown in Fig. 1, except that the contacts 29, 38, 31 and 36, included in this circuit, are back contacts of the control relays 50 and 50". The function of these contacts is substantially the same in Fig. 2 as in Fig.

1, except that in Fig. 2 they prevent the re turn of the lever to an initial extreme position in the event that this lever is'movcd to its opposite indicating position, that the corresponding control relay becomes energized and sticks in the closed position, and that the supply of current to the motor circuit fails temporarily.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of apparatus embor ying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, a lever for the control of said switch and having normal and reverse positions as well as normal indicating and reverse indicating positions, a normal contact operated by said lever andolosed from the normal to the normal indicating position of the lever, a reverse contact operated by the lever and closed from the reverse to the reverse indicating position of the lever, a normal contact operated by said switch and closed in all positions of the switch except the normal position, reverse contact operated by the switch and closed in all positions of the switch except the reverse position, a normal magnet and a reverse magnet, a circuit for said normal magnet controlled by said normal lever contact and said normal switch contact, a circuit for said reverse magnet controlled by said reverse lever contact and operated by the lever and closed from the reverse to the reverse indicating position of the lever, a normal contact operated by said switch and closed in all positions of the switch except the normal position, a reverse contact operated by the switch and closed in all positions of the switch except the reverse position, a normal magnet and a reverse magnet, a circuit for said normal magnet controlled by said normal level contact and said normal switch contact, a circuit for said reverse magnet controlled by said reverse lever contact and said reverse switch contact, means controlled by said magnets for causing movement of said switch to normal or reverse position according as the normal or reverse magnet is energized, a normal inclication device for locking said lever in normal indicating position when moving toward normal position, and a reverse indication device for locking said lever in reverse indicating position when moving toward reverse position, and means controlled by said switch for releasing said normal or said reverse indication device according as the switch is in normal or reverse position.

3. In combination, a railway switch .having normal and reverse positions, a lever for the control of said switch and having normal and reverse positions as well as normal indicating and reverse indicating positions, a normal contact operated by said lever and closed from the normal to the normal indicating position of the lever, a reverse contact operated by the lever and closed from the reverse to the reverse indicating position of the lever, a normal contact operated by said switch and closed in all positions of the switch except the normal position, a reverse contact operated by the switch and closed in allpositions of the switch except the reverse position, a normal magnet and a reverse magnet, a circuit for said normal magnet controlled by said normal lever contact and said normal switch contact, a circuit for said reverse magnet controlled by said reverse lever contact and said reverse switch contact, means controlled by'said magnets for causing movement of said switch to normal or reverse position according as the normal or reverse magnet is energized, a normal indication device for locking said lever in normal indicating position when moving toward normal position, and a reverse indication device for locking said lever in reverse indicating position when moving toward reverse position, means controlled by said switch for releasing said normal or said reverse indication device according as the switch is in normal or reverse position, and means con trolled by said magnets for preventing release of either of saidindication devices unless both magnets are deenergized.

4:. In combination, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, a lever for the control of said switch and having normal and reverse positions as well as normal indicating and reverse indicating positions, at normal contact operated by said lever and closed from the normal to the normal indicating position of the lever, a reverse contact operated by the lever and closed from the reverse to the reverse indicating position of the lever, a normal contact operated by said switch and closed in all positions of the'switch except the normal position, a reverse contact operated by the switch and closed in all positions of the switch except the reverse position, a normal magnet and a reverse magnet each comprising'aiwinding and a movable member, a circuit for said normal magnet controlled by said normal lever contact and "said normal switch contact, a circuit forpsaid reverse magnet controlled by said reverse lever contact and said reverse switch contact, means controlled by saidv magnets for causing movement of said switch to normal or reverse position according as the normal or reverse magnet is energized, a normal indication device for locking said lever in normal indicating position when moving toward normal position, a reverse indication'device for locking said lever in reverse indicating position when moving toward reverse posiion, means controlled by said switch for releasing said-normal or said reverse indication device according as the switch is in normal or reverse position, a contact for each magnet closed only when the movable member of the magnet is inthe position corresponding to the deenergized condition of the magnet, and means controlled by said contacts for preventing release or either 1: said indication devices unless both contacts are closed.

5. In combination, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, a normal and a reverse magnet, means controlled by said magnets for moving said switch to normal or reverse position according as the normalor the reverse magnet is energized, a lever having normal and reverse positions as well as normal indicating and reverse indicating positions, means controlled by said lever and said switch for energizing said normal magnet when the lever is in normal to normal indicating positions and the switch is not in normal position and for deenergizing said normal magnet when the switch reaches the normal position, and means controlled by said lever and said switch for energizing said reverse magnet when the lever is in reverse to reverse indicating positions and the switch is not in reverse position and for deenergizing said reverse magnet when the switch reaches the reverse position.

6. In combination, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, a normal and a reverse magnet, means controlled by said magnets for moving said switch to normal or reverse position according as the normal or the reverse magnet is energized, a lever having normal and reverse positions as well as normal indicating and reverse indicating positions, means controlled by said lever and said switch for energizing said normal magnet when the lever is in normal to normal indicating positions and the switch is not in normal position and for deenergizing said normal magnet when the switch reaches the normal position, and means controlled by said lever and'said switch for energizing said reverse magnet when the lever is in reverse to reverse indicating positions and the switch is not in reverse position and for de'energizing said reverse magnet when the switch reaches the reverse position, a normal indication device for locking said lever in normal indicating position when moving toward normal position, a reverse indication device for locking said lever in reverse indcating position when moving toward reverse position, and means controlled by said switch for releasing said normal or said reverse indication device according as said switch is in normal or reverse position.

7 In combination, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, a normal and a reverse magnet each having a winding and a movable member, means controlled by said magnets for moving said switch to normal or reverse position according as the normal or the reverse magnet is energized, a lever having normal and reverse positions as well as normal indicating and reverse indicating positions, means controlled by said lever and said switch for energizing said normal magnet when the lever is in normalto-normal indicating positions and the switch is not in normal position and for deenergizing said normal magnet when the switch reaches the normal position, a normal indication device for locking said lever in normal indicating position when moving toward-normal position, a reverse indication device for locking said lever in reverse indicating position when moving toward reverse position, means controlled by said switch for releasing said normal or said reverse indication device according as said switch is in normal or reverse position, and means controlled by said magnets for preventing release of either of said indication devices unless the movable members of said magnets are in the positions corresponding to the deenergized conditions of the magnets.

8. In combination, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, a cylinder, a piston movable therein and operatively connected with the switch, a source of fluid pressure, a normal and a reverse valve for the two ends of said cylinder respectively, each biased to one position wherein it connects the corresponding end of the cylinder with atmosphere and movable to a second position wherein'it connects the corresponding end of the cylinder with said source of fluid pressure, a normal and a reverse magnet for said normal and reverse valves and each arranged when energized to move the corresponding valve to said second position, a lever having normal and reverse positions as well as normal indicating and reverse indicating positions, means controlled by said lever and said switch for energizing said normal magnet when the lever is in normal indicating position and the switch is not in normal position and for deenergizing said normal magnet when the switch reaches the normal position, means controlled by said lever and said switch for energizing said reverse magnet when the lever is in reverse indicating position and the switch is not in reverse position and for deenergizing said reverse magnet when the switch reaches the reverse position, a normal indication device for locking said lever in normal indicating position when moving toward normal position, a reverse indication device for locking said lever in reverse indicating position when moving toward reverse position, and means controlled by said switch for releasing said normal orsaid reverse indication device according as the switch is in normal or reverse position.

9. In combination, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, a cylinder, a piston movable therein and opera tively connected with the switch, a source of fluid pressure, a normal and a reverse valve for the two ends of said cylinder respectively, each biased to one position wherein it connects the corresponding end of the cylinder with atmosphere and movable to a second position wherein it connccts the corresponding end of the cylinder with said source of fluid pressure, a normal and a reverse magnet for said normal and reverse valves and each arranged when energized to move the corresponding valve to said second position, a lever having normal and reverse positions as well as normal indicating and reverse indicating positions means controlled by said lever and said switch for energizing said normal magnet when the lever is in normal indicating position and the switch is not in normal position and for deenergizing said normal magnet when the switch reaches the normal position, means controlled by said lever and said switch for energizing said reverse magnet when the lever is in reverse indicating position and the switch is not in reverse position andfor deenergizing said reverse magnet when the switch reaches the reverse position, a normal indicating device for lockingsaid lever in normal indicating position when moving toward normal position, a reverse "indication device for locking said lever in reverse indicating position when moving toward reverse position, means controlled by' said switch for releasing said normal orsaid reture. 7

CHARLES R. BEALL. 

